A Long Story
by Jarris Shepard
Summary: Clara and Connal find themselves dropped off for a visit with Gran in the wrong year and make the best of it. I really have no idea how to summarize this, but it's worth a look, I think that anyway. I'm a bit biased though. It's a bit sad and a bit hopeful. Give it a shot. Reviews are greatly appreciated. No flames allowed, Dalek's will be sent to deal with Flamers.


A Long Story

T adult (not sexually related) themes

The Doctor gets the timing a bit off in his hurry to do a thing and drops Clara and Connal off at her Gran's before her family actually knows about her travels with The Doctor. Again this started off one thing and went somewhere I did not foresee. Back to non-cannon, AU, what-if type stories for me.

I disclaim all rights to anything Doctor Who related, and will never make a cent off this, but I'm loving playing with the what ifs.

-Doctor Who-

"Clara!" The Doctor's bellow was nothing new to the former teacher. She currently had her hands full of an energetic mini-Doctor fighting getting dressed for the day.

"I'm with Connal, Doctor." She called back knowing he'd hear her and head to their son's bedroom.

"Ah, good, you're getting him dressed." He absently caught the boy mid-air when Connal jumped from his bed towards his father. "Connal, lad we've talked about that. You don't jump around on the furniture." He grinned at Clara with raised brows.

"Thanks for that," she went up on her toes to kiss him quickly, "I was handling it though."

"I saw. What were you doing? Letting him get it out of his system?"

"Quite, I've made a deal with him that he gets five minutes each morning while one of us is in the room to just go bonkers, but only when one of us is with him." She stroked her son's soft curls. "Now, you bellowed?"

"What? Oh, yeah, yeah. I've got a thing. An old friend reached out, and needs my help. I don't think it would be good for Connal or you to be anywhere near this one. I'm going to drop you off home, unless there's somewhere else you want to be dropped."

"So, more than the normal danger, yeah?" He nodded his response tickling the toddler in his arms. "Okay, actually, I would enjoy a visit with Gran. It's be a while since Connal has seen her."

"Me too. You know, I really like your Gran." He grinned as only The Doctor could. "She's feisty, even now. How about we stay there a day or two when I get back?" Clara was smiling now.

"That is a good idea. What about you, Connal, want to go and visit your Great-Granny Oswald?" Clara tickled the giggling boy's tummy. He nodded with a sweet little grin for her.

"All right, that's settled then. Let's get the two of you there, so I can get to it." He passed Connal to his mum and strode from the room briskly. They had learned early on after Connal was born that it was easier all around if they had a bag packed with clothes and supplies enough to last several days, just in case this type of situation arose. Clara had a bag as well, and she made a game of retrieving the bags with Connal. Making boring chores into a game always worked on the curious little boy. Rather like his father, Clara had stated on many occasions. It drove The Doctor mad when she did and she always got a good laugh at that.

Soon the sounds of the TARDIS landing could be heard and she'd yet to get Connal's tiny trainers and socks on. He was presentable otherwise. The Doctor could be heard calling for them urgently. "Hurry it up, Clara, I just got another call and need to get a move. The time table is going to be rather tricky on this one."

"Oh for…I'll just carry you then, shall I little Timelord?" She asked her son seated on his bed examining his wiggling toes intently. He was trying to make only his biggest and littlest toes curl at one time. It was becoming rather frustrating too. Clara could see a tantrum brewing and knew just how to head it off. She lifted him up and tossed him into the air, catching him with ease and his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Again!" He squealed.

"All right one more then we have to go, or Daddy's going to be cross at us." She tossed him up once more and enjoyed his laughter.

"More later, Mummy?" She smiled and kissed his nose.

"We shall see. Let's get going. She picked up both bags as she shifted Connal to a hip and headed for the console room. The Doctor was already calling again. "We're here, ready for departure from the TARDIS. How long, do you think? I'd like to be able to give a bit of warning this time." The last time they'd done something like this Connal had just turned one and he'd spent the better part of three weeks with his grandparents and Great-granny. Clara knew it would be different with her here too, but she still wanted a time frame for her family's peace of mind.

'Not sure, couple of days probably, Jack has a habit of getting into tricky situations." He escorted them to the doors and held them both close a moment. Clara shared a long kiss with her Doctor. "That should tide us over." He stated softly after the kiss ended. "You be a good lad for you Mam and your Great-Granny Oswald, yeah?"

"I'm always a good lad, Daddy." Connal sounded a little put out that anyone would suggest otherwise, especially his dad.

"And I'm very proud of you for that. Take care of your Mam then." He touched foreheads with the boy and shared all the love he felt for him and received the same from his son in return. This gesture was an absolute must before they parted. The Doctor would never leave Connal to wonder if his dad loved him should the worst happen and they be separated. One of his biggest regrets was not getting to tell his children on Gallifrey how much he loved them, one last time. He must've let some of that regret through because Connal leaned over to wrap both arms around him and placed a baby's kiss to The Doctor's cheek.

"See you soon, Daddy." Connal stated, and The Doctor chuckled. This too was something they did every time that Connal couldn't accompany them for an adventure.

"Soon as I can. I love you, Clara Oswald." He kissed Clara once more before ushering them quickly out the doors.

"Love you too, Doctor. You stay safe, yeah." She hitched Connal up a bit and they watched the doors close and the TARDIS disappear before she turned and headed to her Gran's house over the hill. Her Gran didn't live in Blackpool itself but outside the city. She had a small plot of land, which was perfect for them to bring the TARDIS and visit. The house was on a quiet little hummock and Clara had marvelous memories of the place. She knew that Connal would have them too.

Clara stopped briefly to get Connal's shoes on his feet, and they strolled through the grass to her Gran's porch to knock and announce themselves. Gran answered quickly. "Clara, dear. Back so soon? And who is this?" The whole scenario brought Clara up short.

"How do you mean?" She asked. For the moment she neglected mention Connal.

"Well, dear, you and your young man just left here headed to stay with your father and Linda. Did you forget something?" Clara was getting a little panicky the only time she'd brought a man, other than The Doctor, to see her Gran it had been Danny Pink, and they'd stayed one night with her father and Linda before heading back to London.

"Oh, bollocks," she stated and let the bags in her hand settle to the porch beside the door. The Doctor had done it again. He'd missed, except this time it was right place, wrong time. Potentially, this was very dangerous. At this point in her relationship with Danny, he knew about her travels with The Doctor, but her family did not. "Gran, I'm sorry, we're a bit early. I need to make a call." She pulled Connal down the stairs as she pulled her phone from a pocket and dialed the TARDIS quickly. There was no answer, of course. He was already off with his friend in the thick of it, most likely. She left him a quick, urgent message. Thank god they had finally gotten around to modifying the TARDIS phone to take messages. "Doctor, you've left us too early. Gran doesn't even know about you yet, let alone Connal. Apparently, I've just left her house with Danny. This is very not good. Get back quick as you can."

She didn't know what to do. If she had a vehicle she'd make up something and they'd go stay in a motel somewhere, but she didn't even have that at the moment. "Okay, Clara, you can do this." She knelt down to her son. "Connal, you know that sometimes we can't tell people things 'cause it would hurt the TARDIS."

Connal's eyes got big around, but he nodded. "Good, this is one of those times, love. Your dad slipped up, and Gran doesn't know you yet, she doesn't even know dad yet. I need to talk to her, so I need you to sit with me and be very quiet, okay.

"Okay, Mummy." Sometimes her son amazed her beyond belief. She knew without doubt that he understood what she was saying. The Doctor had said from the beginning that Connal was overly sensitive to the Timelines and he theorized it was because he'd been conceived and born not only in the TARDIS, but the TARDIS in the time vortex. Not unlike River Song. She didn't worry much that Connal would say or do something to harm time, but he was just a baby. She felt the need to remind him just in case he forgot himself.

Clara took a fortifying breath and turned to find her Gran still standing on her porch watching them with an odd look on her face. "Sorry, Gran. I need to explain some things to you, and I think it best we do this inside and sitting down. Perhaps with some tea?" Gran nodded and looked her over critically.

"I would think that's a good idea, Dear." She led Clara and Connal inside to the sitting room after Clara retrieved their bags. "You make a lovely mother, Clara dear." Gran said with a knowing smile as Clara passed her.

"What?" She stopped dead.

"Oh, my dear girl, there's too much of you in that little face for him to be anything other than your child." Gran said gently. "Now, I'd like to know how you are both here and on the way to your father's home. I think we'll skip the tea for now."

"Okay, I'll have to start at the beginning, and it's quite a long story." She warned.

"That's okay, I suspect it's quite a good story, and you know me. I love a good story. That's where you get your love of books, my dear girl." Gran patted her hand.

"First, how did you know? About Connal?" She was still surprised by that.

"Oh, Clara, just watching you with him for that little bit. How often I saw your own Mum kneel down, just as you did, to talk to you about something serious. It was seeing a ghost of her. She'd be so thrilled with you." Gran's hand came up to cup her face gently, and Clara leaned into that comforting touch.

"Thank you, Gran. I wonder all the time what Mum would think of him, of me." She admitted, Connal's little arms came around her leg and held tight, sensing his mum was upset. "I'm all right, Love." She set the bags down and lifted Connal into her arms. He held tight and she knew he was still unsettled, so she hugged him tight. "Come on, then. Let's sit down and have a story, yeah?" She asked him.

"I like your stories, Mummy." He said softly.

"Then you'll like this one very much, Little Timelord. It's all about Mummy and Dad, and how we got to traveling together." She took Gran's hand and pulled her over to the chair she usually occupied. Clara seated herself and Connal on the sofa, and started her long history of traveling with The Doctor. It was early afternoon when she started with the call she'd made to, presumably, an IT help line and ended up with a madman in a blue box outside her window. By the time she'd gotten to the Christmas that Gran remembered meeting the naked young man the sun was getting lower in the sky.

They took a break then and Clara helped her Gran cook them something to eat. It was well into evening when they'd finished and Clara got Connal into his jimjams. They settled back into the sitting room then, and Clara held Connal close, knowing that what was to come would be upsetting for her, and in turn that would upset her son. She explained to her gran why she'd been so upset when she'd returned to the table that first time, and again the second. She told her of Trenzalore and watching her friend change into someone new and familiar at the same time. Clara told her of the fears she'd had when he'd acted so out of character, and she shed a few tears at her stupid fear that he'd changed too much to keep traveling with him. Her gran had moved to the sofa then and taken her hand.

Clara told her of the volatile friendship she'd had with The Doctor just after his regeneration, not quite knowing if she still trusted him, mostly because he no longer trusted himself. Then she came to Danny's death and faltered. "I really shouldn't tell you more, but obviously I don't end up with Danny Pink. So let's just say that I was very depressed after that relationship ends. The Doctor had gone to find Gallifrey, we'd gotten co-ordinates from a very unreliable source, but he couldn't chance not checking them. When he came back to me, he assumed that Danny and I were together. He lied about finding his home planet so that I would stay with Danny, and I lied to him about Danny so that he would go home and not worry about me."

"You loved each other enough to let go. Oh, Clara dear. That's the hardest thing in the world to do." Gran could tell that this would be a very hard time for her girl and hoped she would see it when it happened in her future so she could be supportive.

"It was, it was agony. I'd lost both the men I loved at virtually the same moment." Connal was hugging her so tightly now, and she hurried on. "We didn't see one another for months. Then round Christmas time, something happened and we were thrown together again. He came back for me, and I haven't left his side since. We stopped lying to ourselves not long after, and just a few years later" she raised Connal's face up to hers, "you joined us on our travels."

"My word, Clara. That is the most beautiful love story I've ever had the pleasure of hearing." She smiled then. "I can't wait to meet this Doctor."

"Just remember, Gran, the things you know about the future, you can't tell anyone, not even the me that belongs in this time. She still has to live those years the way that I did, or this all will change." Clara pleaded with her Gran.

"No, of course, I won't. I wouldn't want anything to change for you. I'm just glad I get to see you like this." Clara realized then that her gran was thinking that she wasn't living in that future time.

"Oh, Gran, you do see us. You love The Doctor as much as we do. The two of you get along quite well, actually. We made it to the right place today, just the wrong year. We were coming to visit you. You're a bit wiser, but you are still around for us." Clara set her straight.

"Well, then, I'm glad I get to know what I have to look forward to." Gran stated.

A new voice came to them then. "Actually, I'm afraid I can't let you remember any of it." Connal's head came up then.

"Daddy!" He removed himself from Clara's lap and ran to The Doctor, who scooped him up high for a hug.

"Have you had a good day, my lad?" The Doctor asked Connal.

"Mummy tells good stories, Daddy. I like your story." Connal informed him.

"Well, that's very good, because that's how we got you, you know?" He was watching Clara from the corner of his eye. He knew that she understood he'd have to take the memory of her story from the older woman. Both women on their feet now, and he turned his attention on them.

"What do you mean you can't let me remember?" Gran was a bit wary, but she was studying this man that her little Clara loved. "You're right, Clara, I do like this face better than that young idiot. Even if he was giving a good show."

The Doctor heard, of course, and cleared his throat embarrassed. Clara grinned at his blush. He'd made peace with his younger face about the time that Clara had admitted to loving him no matter what face he wore. "I mean that even the tiniest slip to anyone, and everything will change. I'm sure that Clara was careful of what she told you, but I…no, we can't take that chance. I won't risk losing my family, even for my family, Nell. You understand?"

Gran gazed between them for a moment. Clara crossed to stand with The Doctor and Connal. Gran watched the immediate, involuntary way he slipped his arm around Clara and pulled her into his side. She liked the way they looked together. They just fit, despite the seeming age difference, the three of them belonged together. "All right. I don't understand entirely, but I wouldn't want to be the cause of you never being together. One promise though?"

The Doctor tilted his head knowing what she'd ask before she asked it. "Anything, Nell." He refused to call her Gran, and always had.

"Take me with you sometime. Let me have one grand adventure with you three before I can't any longer."

"Oh, believe me, we have adventures. You join us on a few, actually. Especially after this tiny rascal comes onboard." The Doctor assured nuzzling Connal's head below his chin. "Now, Clara, hug your Gran and take Connal to the TARDIS. I'll join you in a moment." Clara nodded and gave his fingers a squeeze.

Gran hugged her tight. "Thanks for a lovely story and a lovelier day, my dear girl. I may not remember it, but you will."

"Same goes for us, Gran. See you soon." Clara pulled away then and retrieved her son. "Say goodnight to Gran, Love."

"G'night, Great-Granny." Connal said with a yawn.

"Good night, Connal. I can't wait to meet you again, little darling." She kissed the child's forehead and then Clara swept from the house.

"All right, Nell. Let's get you settled into bed, it'll be easier on you." He let her lead the way upstairs and into her room.

"Won't hurt will it?" She asked him.

"Not at all, you'll just fall asleep, and when you wake you won't remember our visit at all." He touched her forehead then, and she slumped. The Doctor caught her easily and gentled her back to the pillows. "Thanks for taking care of them, Nell. I'll keep your memories safe. You'll get them back in the end." He whispered and pulled the duvet up around her.

By the time he retrieved Clara and Connal's bags, and got the TARDIS back to the vortex, Clara had Connal settled into bed for the night. He went in and kissed his sleeping son anyway, and made certain the boy had only good dreams. "We're still going to visit Gran, yeah?" Clara asked. "The proper Gran this time."

"Absolutely, the co-ordinates are already set. We'll be there in a few moments." He settled an arm around her and led her from their son's room. The boy wouldn't sleep long if they stayed. "You should call ahead though. Let them know we're coming. Wouldn't want to wake anyone." He really had gotten good with the more human aspects over the years.

Clara sent off a text to her father and smiled at his reply. Soon they were arrived, and Connal was moved, by The Doctor, into the bed he normally slept in when visiting his Gram Linda, Grandad and Great-Granny. Clara always took time after their arrival to sit in with her Gran. Nell was nearing ninety, and she wasn't as spry as she used to be. She was confined to a wheelchair now, but her eyes were always twinkling, and she loved their visits immensely.

"It's good to see you, my dear girl." She was propped up in bed and reading.

"That one of the books The Doctor lent you then?" Clara came in and hugged her Gran gently.

"It certainly is. I've a stack to return him." She set the book aside and enjoyed the conversation with her granddaughter. Clara noticed after a time that her Gran was tiring and decided to let her rest. "Send in that Doctor of yours. I want a proper hug for once." Clara grinned and glanced over her shoulder, at The Doctor standing in the doorway. He gave her that same smile he always had and the hug she was requesting, just like he always did when they visited.

"How are you, Nell?" He asked seriously.

"Oh, I'm coming to the end, you know. Not too much of a wait left for me." She offered. Clara always hated when they talked like this. She still wasn't ready to lose her gran. The woman who'd been there to do all the things that her mother had missed out on.

"In that case, there's something I have of yours, I've kept it for you for a very long time, now. Well, from your perspective. I want to give it back, and I think now is a good time for it." He rested his forehead to hers and she gasped.

"Oh, I remember now. Thank you, Doctor. That was the most lovely afternoon." Clara came back to her side and took the hand she held out. "You two really ought to get married some day, you know?"

"Oh, I think that what we have is working just fine for us, Gran." Clara then reminded her of that Last Christmas that had really become the first for her and The Doctor. "I suppose you could say we eloped, in our own way, if that will make you feel better about us."

"It works, I suppose. Where's my Little Darling? You two are never far from him." Gran delighted in Connal.

"He's sleeping in his room down the hall. You'll see him in the morning, Gran." Clara offered.

"Oh, would you bring him here for a bit, I do so want to see him. I'd like for Clara to finish the story for him, now that I remember her telling the rest of it." Gran insisted.

"All right, Nell. I'll go wake him." The Doctor offered he knew that she didn't have long to live. He didn't know when she'd leave them exactly, but it wouldn't be too long just as she'd said.

"Thank you, Doctor." She took Clara's hands. "Connal deserves the rest of the story, my dear."

"I know." She settled onto the bed with Gran, curled up with her head in the elderly woman's lap. "I'm not ready, Gran."

"I know, my dear girl, we never are, but it's part of life. A rite of passage, to live on after your elders and to ready your children for that same rite so they can do it for their children and so on and so forth." Gran was stroking gentle fingers through her hair like she'd done since Clara was a small child and she took comfort from it. It wasn't too long before The Doctor returned with a groggy Connal in his arms. He settled the little boy down between the two Oswald women.

"Hi, Great-Granny." Connal yawned and snuggled up for a hug.

"Hello, my Little Darling, want to hear the rest of your Mum and Dad's story?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Connal rolled over to give his mummy those large pleading eyes he'd inherited from her. "Please, Please, Mumma?" He yawned through the verbal pleading.

"Clara, look, Clara! He figured out how to do the thing, too." The Doctor was ecstatic that his son could do the eye thing. It was one of the things he'd come to love most about his Clara, that look. Clara was laughing and shaking her head.

"All right, then. Snuggle in." She waited while Connal made himself comfortable against her.

Gran spoke up then. "You too, Doctor. This is a huge old bed, and you are part of the story too." He was about to protest when she gave him that stern Gran look. He'd seen Clara use it on students, and he sighed and kicked off his boots to slide in behind Clara. "Right then, we're ready now, Clara, you go on and continue from where you left off then."

Clara did, and Connal was long asleep by the time she'd finished. Gran was sleeping in her own way too. She had been gone for a number of minutes when Clara finished the story of her life with her Doctor. There were tears streaming from her eyes as she held her son close with one arm and rested a hand on her Gran's arm to comfort herself. The Doctor was wrapped around her from behind, another comfort, and she knew that this was what her Gran had planned. She'd known she would leave them and she'd wanted the two beings in all the universe that could comfort her Clara to be there to make it easier for her.

"Oh, Gran, you enjoy your next adventure out there among the stars. See you again one day." She leaned up and kissed her Gran's forehead one last time. "I love you." The Doctor slipped from behind her then and quietly left the room. Her dad came rushing in soon after, and Linda was with him. She kept trying to take Connal out of the room, but Clara wasn't letting go of him. She did however, get herself and Connal up out of the bed, it seemed to calm Linda somewhat that they were no longer in the bed with a body, but all Clara could see was her Gran, and it hadn't bothered her in the least to lie there and grieve for a while.

Eventually, people came and took Gran away and Clara let The Doctor lead her to their guest room. She wouldn't let go of Connal, at all, and he had no intention to make her. He knew she likely wouldn't sleep that night, but he wanted to keep her close. He wanted to be there. She settled as they'd been before during the end of her story of them. The doctor behind her and Connal pulled close to her front. With their presence there to temper her grief, Clara eventually did find sleep, and she dreamt of her Gran.

The next days were hard on all of them, family and her gran's friends come to pay respects and such. Clara and The Doctor moved them back into the TARDIS which was closer to the house, but still out of sight. The guest rooms were all needed for family anyway. No one was allowed in Gran's room. Clara and Linda clashed on certain details, but in the end things were calm. Eventually, they took the TARDIS back to the time vortex and continued adding more to their story. Until, eventually, their many times great grandchildren wrote the story down to make sure that it endured, unchanged, for eternity. they added their own chapters to the story as they should. As Gran had said it was part of life. And Clara and The Doctor, and their legacy, lived throughout time to the end until another story began.


End file.
